If you’ve ever had an injury to your shoulder, you know how difficult everyday activities like getting dressed, tying your shoes, and driving can be. Whether your pain is a result of a work or sports accident, or simply a chronic problem that you’ve ignored for years, our MVPT Physical Therapy team can help reduce your pain and restore your function!
Common Conditions That Cause Shoulder Pain
The shoulder is a complex joint, so it shouldn’t be surprising that there are many reasons you may suffer from shoulder pain. A strained rotator cuff, frozen shoulder (aka adhesive capsulitis), or a torn labrum are all common injuries to the shoulder that physical therapists treat. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments that physical therapists use to relieve your shoulder pain and prevent it from returning in the future.
Due to our sedentary lifestyles and extended time looking down at our phones and computers, muscles in the back and neck are often weaker than the muscles in the front of our body. Poor posture weakens the muscles that support the rotator cuff, then the rotator cuff can’t effectively do its job, causing pain and stiffness. Also, this poor posture throws off the balance of the muscles around our spine and can result in neck pain, which can radiate to the shoulders.
The Neck’s Role in Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain could come from the shoulder joint itself or could stem from the neck and upper back. The neck and shoulder are closely connected via nerve pathways, so when an injury occurs, the brain can’t always reliably track the pain back to the actual source. This means that something could be wrong with your neck, but pain signals are being sent to your shoulder. Here are some ways to tell the difference.
When the shoulder is most likely the cause, the pain:
- Is stabbing, burning, or tingling, but could be achy
- Happens when you reach overhead or behind your back
- Occurs when lifting objects
- Is felt in the upper arm, but not past the elbow
- Improves with rest
When the neck is the most likely cause, the pain:
- Is stabbing, burning, or tingling
- Radiates past your elbow or into your hand
- Persists even when resting
- Radiates down your arm when you move your neck
- Is relieved when you support your neck
How Physical Therapy Can Help
Our skilled physical therapist will perform a thorough evaluation of your shoulder, neck, and back. This will include measuring your range of motion, strength, and pain levels. You will also be asked about the activities that cause pain, what motions are important for your work and recreational activities, and what your goals for physical therapy are. From there, they will design a customized care plan that is uniquely tailored to you. Some of the treatment techniques may include:
- Manual Therapy – Manual therapy is a form of treatment that helps to reduce swelling and increase your range of motion. A few examples include therapeutic massage, manual traction, and Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) such as Graston.
- Dry Needling – Dry needling is a service provided by certified physical therapists that use a very thin needle inserted into the tender spot of a muscle to “trigger” a contract/relax response. This in turn helps to draw oxygenated blood to the painful area to release muscle tension and promote healing.
- Electrical Stimulation – ‘E-stim’ is an effective tool for reducing pain. It utilizes self-adhesive electrodes placed around the target treatment area on the body. These electrodes are connected via wire leads to the unit, through which electricity can pass.
Other aspects of your care plan will include stretching, strengthening exercises, and postural corrections. Your comprehensive care plan will help you decrease pain and restore function with a path to success following your discharge.
Start Physical Therapy to Shut Out Shoulder Pain
If you are suffering from shoulder pain, MVPT Physical Therapy can help. We will get to your root cause of pain and create a long-term plan to keep you functioning at your best.
Call any MVPT Physical Therapy location to schedule or complete the form below to request an appointment.
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